Packers primed for trip to Minneapolis in February

The Packers will commence their 2017 season today at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

They’ll be ending it on Feb. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, site of Super Bowl LII.

Yes, I expect the Packers to have a season to remember, starting with their regular-opener against the formidable Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have a Super Bowl-caliber team as well and figure to give the Packers fits.

But the X-factor, as it usually is, is Aaron Charles Rodgers, who might be better than ever this season. The 33-year-old Rodgers is in the prime of his career, a model of health and surrounded by arguably the best supporting cast in his stellar pro career.

The offseason addition of Martellus Bennett was mind-boggling. Bennett is an exceptional talent and he’s going to create matchup problems for any opponent, including the Seahawks who have perhaps the best secondary in the NFL.

With Bennett bound to attract plenty of attention, the Packers’ talented and experienced cast of wideouts should run wild, not only today but all season.

Mike McCarthy-led teams have occasionally sputtered coming out of the gate, but look for the Packers’ high-powered offense to be clicking on all cylinders from the get-go this season.

If the Packers can stay relatively healthy, especially No. 12, this has the makings of a very special season.

About The Author

Gery Woelfel is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Racine Journal Times. Gery has covered a wide-range of sports over his three decades as a professional journalist. During his career, his primary beat has been the NBA and has been a recipient of the Pro Basketball Writers Association of America award. Gery has conducted one-on-one interviews with numerous legendary sports figures like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has also been a regular contributor for HoopsHype.com and Lindy’s Pro Basketball Magazine and been on various sports talk shows around the country while serving as a pro basketball insider for WSSP (105.7 FM) in Milwaukee. Gery has covered every one of the NBA pre-draft camps, dating to the early ‘80s, along with numerous NFL combines.